Modular Home Installers
Overview
Modular home installers set up and move prefabricated houses and buildings, making sure everything fits perfectly on the owner's property. They repair structural damage, install appliances and fixtures, connect plumbing and electrical systems, and test everything to ensure it works properly. Using both hand tools and power equipment, they work directly with customers to assess damage and plan repairs. This hands-on career combines construction skills with problem-solving and often involves working outdoors in collaborative team environments.
Did you know?
Most states require mobile home installers to obtain specific licenses or certifications, with requirements varying significantly across different jurisdictions.
At a Glance
Median Wage
$41,136.11 Avg/yr
Growth
Fast Growing
Top Skill
Troubleshooting
Key Responsibilities
- Confer with customers or read work orders to determine the nature and extent of damage to units.
- Locate and repair frayed wiring, broken connections, or incorrect wiring, using ohmmeters, soldering irons, tape, and hand tools.
- List parts needed, estimate costs, and plan work procedures, using parts lists, technical manuals, and diagrams.
- Remove damaged exterior panels, repair and replace structural frame members, and seal leaks, using hand tools.
- Open and close doors, windows, and drawers to test their operation, trimming edges to fit, using jackplanes or drawknives.
- Install, repair, and replace units, fixtures, appliances, and other items and systems in mobile and modular homes, prefabricated buildings, or travel trailers, using hand tools or power tools.
- Refinish wood surfaces on cabinets, doors, moldings, and floors, using power sanders, putty, spray equipment, brushes, paints, or varnishes.
- Connect electrical systems to outside power sources and activate switches to test the operation of appliances and light fixtures.
- Seal open sides of modular units to prepare them for shipment, using polyethylene sheets, nails, and hammers.
- Reset hardware, using chisels, mallets, and screwdrivers.
- Move and set up mobile homes or prefabricated buildings on owners' lots or at mobile home parks.
- Inspect, examine, and test the operation of parts or systems to evaluate operating condition and to determine if repairs are needed.
- Repair leaks in plumbing or gas lines, using caulking compounds and plastic or copper pipe.
- Connect water hoses to inlet pipes of plumbing systems, and test operation of plumbing fixtures.
Career Considerations
State Licensing and Certification Requirements
Most states require mobile home installers to obtain specific licenses or certifications, with requirements varying significantly across different jurisdictions.
Physical Demands and Safety Risks
The job involves heavy lifting, working in confined spaces, and exposure to weather conditions, requiring strong physical fitness and adherence to safety protocols.
Regional Market Demand Variations
Employment opportunities are concentrated in areas with high manufactured housing demand, particularly in the South and West where mobile home communities are more prevalent.